Customer Reviews

K-Tec Champ HP3A Blender Black - Identical to the BlendTec Total Blender Plus More

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(2)

 

 

This thing is great! I previously had a typical kitchen blender, but had the priviledge of using a friend's Vita-mix for a few weeks...I thought it would be exactly the same, but it isn't...in a good way. There is a slight learning curve, but not much. The good differences are: ease of cleaning, for sure! Size! Also, it has pre-programmed cycles, AS WELL AS a pulse up and pulse down button so that one can manually blend. The only thing I have not figured out is why it tells me digitally how many cycles it has run? Anyone know offhand?
I highly recommend this! Loving the fresh veggie smoothies that are SOOOO SMOOTH.

We've had our blender for nearly 5 years, but won't be patronizing K-TEC anymore. The pitcher has a gear fitting on the bottom that tends to wear out every 2 years. They blamed us the first time because we had put the pitcher in the dish washer a couple of times. Thinking they were an honest business, we coughed up the $100 to have them ship a new pitcher. Around 2 years later, the exact same problem started happening. This time they admitted that their pitchers only last about 2 years with regular use.

Here are the symptoms:
* Grey powder between the pitcher and the base. That's powder from the metal shaft in the pitcher grinding up.
* Sharp grinding noise at the beginning right before the blades really spin.

Eventually the shaft fitting wears down completely and won't work anymore, requiring you to spend another $100 or more (as prices rise) every other year for a new pitcher.

Personally, I find this to be a total rip-off when old blenders that cost a fraction of the price and made in the late 70's are still able to work (albeit without the same amount of torque) for 30 years and this one can't even last 3!

Stay away from K-Tec and tell your friends to look for alternatives.

I just purchased an additional Blendtec Blender and found that the lid has a BIG square opening into which a clear insert goes. Unfortunately the insert, which protrudes above the lid, has holes on all four sides, allowing the jar contents to spew out all over the top of the lid creating a REALLY BIG MESS. Using the EXACT same contents with the OLD original small hole jar lid, there are no problems with overflow.

After using the jar, with the small hole lid, I could go to the sink, fill part way with water, cover the lid hole with my finger, and shake to clean out the jar. NOT SO, with the new lid, you CANNOT cover then shake to clean it out, because it is IMPOSSIBLE to do!

Also, I may use the blender to make successive recipes, not being able to quickly rinse and reuse is annoying.

Whomever designed this new lid never used it. What were they thinking of . . . or NOT?

The good news is . . . I have found that you can purchase the old style lids from Blendtec for $5.00 plus $7.00 for shipping. I have ordered two of them because I also have a second 96 oz. jar, which, although the lid LOOKS bigger, it is not. Ergo, I purchased TWO lids, plus S & H, for $17.00 and they're on their way. Yippee!